Eco Existence Challenge by EuphorialQueen

Eco Existence Challenge by @EuphorialQueen
Originally posted at The Sims Creators' Consortium Eco Existence Challenge by @EuphorialQueen
Special Thank You to @Buttonsginger for testing and contributing ideas to make this challenge work.
Using #EcoExistence #EcoExist #Survive in the Gallery
This challenge is an adaptation of various Survival challenges.
The focus will be to live from what the earth provides and gain respect for nature.Note: Patch 19June2018 updated the entire gardening system.
The Seasons EP also made changes with the addition of weather.
In short these types of challenges just became a whole lot more … interesting.
There are several stages to this challenge which are as follows.Stage One: Survive off the land.
Reach Level 10 of any skill.
Complete at least one aspiration.
Have §50,000 Simoleons in reserve.
Build a home with these funds. You are allowed to stay on same lot or move to another.
Congratulations! Stage one is complete.Stage Two: Ever Onward
Complete at least one more aspiration
Reach Level 10 of any additional skill.
Gain §30,000 to reserves.
If you have already completed the Fabulously Wealthy Aspiration you can skip this step.
In this stage you can Unlock Travel
*Fitness Achieve Level 4 unlocks travel to the Gym
*Creative/Painting Level 4 unlocks travel to Museum
*Logic Level 4 unlock plus Handiness Level 4 unlock travel to library, computer use and Rocket Science
*Charisma Level 3 unlock able to accept social text invites, go on dates /Romance Aspirations / Marriage / Family AspirationsStage Three: Contribute to Society
Children are to be taught to respect nature. Fish to gain Mental Skill, Cloud Gaze/Star Gaze to gain Creative Skill (not limited to these methods).
Note: Children can be adopted or born into family or by Alien abduction.
When the children (second generation) of the founder become Young Adults they carry on the tradition of promoting practices that save the earth by teaching their children to honor and respect nature.
===
What is the end game? How do I complete this challenge?
**Stage One Goals Completed - You can stop here and call it done.
-Or-
**Complete both Stage One and Stage Two goals plus Unlock all the Travel options.
-Or-
**Complete Stages One and Two plus raise second generation and third generation to Young Adult.
Congrats on becoming an #EcoExistence Champion!

Note 27Dec2018: Challenge and comment threads by @EuphorialQueen {Me} are checked on a regular basis.
Rules for challenges are reviewed for potential updates each time new content is added to the game.
Please feel free to comment if you have questions.

Comments

How to get started:
Outdoor Retreat is required but a base game option is available.
Start a new game.
Create or download a fresh (Not played) Sim with Zero Skills.
Looks, traits and aspiration are up to you.Note: This challenge is not strict on sticking with one aspiration. It is allowed to switch around for additional Satisfaction Points.
Lifespan Normal or Long with Youth Potions allowed if you wish.
*Adaptable to your game play style
Vampire Sims *Not* recommended as you will be living outdoors.
There are two options for starting lot. Both have been tested and proven to be good for completing this challenge.Starting big:
Bulldoze then buy the Oakenstead 50x50 lot in Willow Creek.
This lot provides great opportunities for harvesting, fishing and collecting.
Buy the cheapest tent, outdoor shower and toilet along with a campfire and some chairs.
Add an indoor and outdoor trash can. Use the rest on trees/flowers.
Fish, Garden, collect things as income but you can never leave the area / travel.
Anywhere your Sim can walk without going to a loading screen is allowed,
Reminder: No electricity equals no computer and no stereo. These will unlock for the next stage.
Not allowed to travel anywhere that requires going to Map View /a loading screen.

Modest Start:
In Willow Creek start at Bargain Bend 30x20 lot.
Evict and bulldoze all other lots in that area.
There are many opportunities for collecting and several fishing spots.
Buy the cheapest tent, outdoor shower and toilet along with a campfire and some chairs.
Add an indoor and outdoor trash can. Use the rest on trees/flowers.

Gain Handiness Skill 2 to go to Sylvan Glade (Enter the tree portal)
*This is the only place allowed to travel in Stage One.

Outdoors Retreat Lots that can be used for this challenge.
*Customize to suit your needs. For Stage One no computers or stereos but you can add Easels or the City Living Murals to gain Painting Skills.
Survival Camp by EQ
Tent, Toilet, Shower, Cooler, Campfire, Trash Bin, Grill, Guitar and Workbenchhttps://www.thesims.com/gallery/C36B802F310511E78C493423E325F46A

Additional notes/tips
Q. Why have an indoor and outdoor trash can?
A. An outdoor trash can is required to keep trash from piling up. Sims cannot use an indoor trash can without one for outdoors. There is a bonus. If you stop your Sim from taking trash from the indoor can to the outdoor can they will drop the trash. This leaves a pile which will allow them to scavenge for parts once they have the handiness skill. These can be used to upgrade the shower and toilet.
Q. Why have a workbench?
A. This is great for building handiness skills. Items can be crafted and sold. With higher skills furniture can be crafted instead of bought. I started with Planter Boxes (to buy seeds providing a greater variety of plants to harvest and sell) and worked up to a dining table and chairs.
Combine handiness with guitar/violin skills allows your Sim to create these on the workbench.
Q. What about dating, marriage and kids?
A. Romantic interests are allowed any time. The rest are unlocked in Stage Two after gaining 3 Charisma Skill points. Clubs are also unlocked at this point.
Main ideas borrowed from several challenges including but not limited to the following:
Sims4 Ultimate Survival Challenge by ApelsinOrientalhttp://ts3cc.canadian-forum.com/t1835-sims4-ultimate-survival-challenge-by-apelsinoriental
Bring Me To Life by @Buttonsginger {Borrowing a few Missions for my own game play}http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/897611/bring-me-to-life-new-mission-added-city-living-mission/p1
Acknowledgement to the many survival based challenges like the Living Off The Land and Living Off The Grid challenges by @kiwi84 and @lotlot80 and others.

Notes:
Select any Aspiration but remember No jobs and cannot travel anywhere that requires going to map view.
Chatting with Sims walking by is okay but cannot visit their lots or add to family (yet).
No electricity equals no computer
Use Work bench to gain handy skills and build furnishings.
Floor Mirror or Get Together Bonfire can gain fun and Dance Skill.
City Living: Seller table is fun way to sell paintings and other items at 300% for quick money.
Money making tip: Instead of selling harvestables from inventory plant them first. Sell price is higher.
Example: Normal Apple 3 Simoleons vs plant and sell at 20 Simoleons.
This adds to household funds but does not meet Wealth Aspiration goals.
Extra challenging: Reduce funds to Zero after setting up your lot.
Choose to NOT pay bills for even more fun.
FYI: Refrigerator can be used to store food or make Quick Meals without electricity.
City Living Sales Table (For yard sales) can be used to store food.
Potion bought with Rewards Points can be used for Instant Hygiene boost.
For Stage One of this challenge I suggest aiming to complete Musical Genius, Fabulously Wealthy, Freelance Botanist or Curator. A good combination that requires no travel or a career are Fabulously Wealthy and Freelance Botanist. Planting harvestables first then deleting them in build/buy mode in very profitable. A Normal Apple sells for §3 but adds §20 after planted. (adds to household funds but does not apply to money earned in Fabulously Wealthy Aspiration.)- - - - -

Tents, coolers and campfires are very helpful during the first stage of this challenge.
If you have the Seasons EP the tents do provide some protection from the elements.

Get Together

You do not have to do the Leader of the Pack aspiration to benefit from having a club. The club system can be used for skill boosts. Only two people are required to have a club. Create your own club so you can control activities. Social interactions are good as well as things like fishing, searching for frogs (you only have to view them) or playing an instrument. I do not recommend gardening as a club activity. Club members will tend gardens but will also harvest. All your crops will be gone with nothing to show for your hard work.

City Living

The yard sale and wall gallery items are useful for selling items for up to 300% mark-up. Unfortunately the wall gallery is not working at the moment. The SimGurus are aware and hopefully it will be fixed soon.

Cats & Dogs #TS4CatsAndDogs

Allowed:
Start with either one cat or one dog with your single Sim.
You must have the appropriate items to keep your pet happy.
Food dish, pet toy and small bed (cat must have a litter box).
IF you start with a pet you can purchase the necessary supplies.
You may fill the pet dish once before reducing funds to Zero.
*Remember §§ are required to feed your pet or to give them treats.
-or-
Start as usual with a single Sim and Zero §§ with the required items.
You must earn enough §§ to buy pet supplies before adopting a stray.
Changing to Cat Hangout / Dog Hangout lot traits will bring strays to your lot.
No need to travel to find them to adopt.

Jungle Adventure #TS4JungleAdventure

Going on vacation to the Jungle will be allowed after Stage One is completed and you are allowed to travel.
*Money must be earned to pay for lodging and supplies.
*Recommended skills - Charisma, Fitness, Gardening, Handiness and Logic.
The higher the skill levels the better chance for success.
Selling relics can be quite lucrative with very quick financial gains.
Using the City Living -or- Jungle Adventure Yard Sale Table is allowed with any rate of Mark-up.

Seasons #TS4Seasons

So many wondrous things added with the Seasons EP.
Weather patterns in each world will vary.
Tents do provide shelter but things previous left outdoors may have to be inside.
A simple roof (even without walls) will provide some shelter.
The new glass roofs (added in a patch) are everything
Get an umbrella (via the umbrella stand under miscellaneous appliances) for rainy weather.
Build up handy skills to upgrade the machine to control the weather.
Beware this can also backfire and your Sim could get toasty.
Use the calendar for custom holidays that are useful for your Sim. Include a visit from Father Winter or the Flower Bunny for special gifts.
Plants are all seasonal and except for year-round crops have a limited time to harvest.
A Money Tree can be purchased with 5000 satisfaction points. I planted a money tree at the very end of stage one of this challenge. It takes several days to actually start growing. The first yield was about a week or so after planting.
Use features that fit your play style.

Greyson is my #EcoExistence Warrior
He completed Stage One and is working on Stage Two

Howdy *Grin* My name is Greyson and I am glad to meet you. Just passing thru this Gallery place looking for somewhere to settle and call home. Not much for being cooped up inside so I am looking for some wide open spaces. Maybe you can point me in the right direction?https://www.thesims.com/gallery/23C5092C361911E788523423E325F46A